FERAL

So lately I have been going into DC a lot and now that I just secured a new job with 23 drops a day 4 days a week I'll be heading in almost everyday. My rant is the mount vernon trail that runs along the potomac and the fu%&$&g roadies that are on there. I get so pissed with their attitude towards fixies. One day on the way home I was taking my sweet time enjoying the scenery both landscaped and walking and had a roadie start running off the mouth because "I" was holding him up. You know if these Lance Armstrongs wannabe's are all that why ain't they over in Europe in the Tour De France making some big money instead of riding back and forth along the trail. And I never see these jerks downtown with us during rush at say Conn ave and K st or M st in Georgetown. They wouldn't make it in traffic. I watched one roadie start yelling at this guy Sunday who was on the trail with his daughter who was learning to ride a bike because they shouldn't be using it for that purpose. Uh exscuse me a#$wipe, it is PUBLIC property to be enjoyed by ALL people. I could go on and on but WTF. Just had to vent some...............

zelah

oh

dmg

I see.

pitboss

um, why is your fixed gear on the street and not racing around a velodrome? or in a circus with bears riding it and juggling?

Maybe if you thought less about punks on bikes and more about your route messengering, you could add a few drops/dollars to your your day.

eyes, meet prize.
feel better soon.

BostonFixed

If that happened to me I would stop riding bikes.

br995

I understand your frustration and desire to vent; people suck sometimes. It's especially bad when we fight amongst ourselves (cyclists) instead of fighting for us.

But I agree with pitboss, the whole comment about 'why don't they ride in the tour' was a bit silly.

jamey

i heard that if you aren't a messenger and try to ride on the downtown streets that your bike will turn into an H3.

pitboss

for some reason, this really made me laugh. thanks

jpearl

I hear you on this one. I usually use the MV to do slower rides with my wife and friends, and we're constantly getting barraged by roadies, most of them credit-card Lance noobies (hence my favorite bike path game: "count the Treks"). They do piss me off as well, but then again, I can rest in the knowledge that these people are generally all posers because the real hardcore roadies are out on the roads, pacelining at 25mph with a bunch of USCF-license holders. The MV roadies just like to zip past pedestrians, joggers, and leisure riders because that makes 'em look fast and "serious".

Basically put, the MV is a multi-purpose path where the pedestrians are at the top of the pecking order and cyclist are there until some out-of-control cyclist seriously injures somebody, then some politician can make a stroke of the pen and all bikes are banned. So ride slow and safe on the path, and if you don't like it, take your Trek, your USPS kit, and your credit card, and hit the road!

kyle!

U.s.a.! U.s.a.! U.s.a.!

FERAL

ipearl. I "hear" ya. Not trying to start something and fixies aint better than roadies or mt.bikes, ect. Just venting my anger. For a lot of those guys its like a weekend thing sort of. For me my bike is everything. I don't have a car, so its how I get around, Its how I make a living and allows me and my kids mama to afford a mortgage in Alexandria. I just wish that if they want to go break neck speed on their $2000+ road bikes than get out on the road and do it, not on MV where you have people especially a lot of families with young kids trying to enjoy the trail as well.

mide

kids need a little danger in their lives.

aussie_SS

^^^^^agreed, my son in the last day or so used his face to stop his trike. He really digs the scar.

johnprolly

Smorgasgeorge

If I dropped $3K or more on a bike and like $500 on a kit, I'd be as far away from cars as possible......unless there was one directly behind me carrying spares.

I just keep right, nod at passers by, and avoid doing intervals around roadies.

charles vail

Cycling sure does attract some weirdos that live in fantasy land!

Pfutz

stop telling people what the hell they should be doing with their bikes, seriously, we ride ****ing fixed gears.

mic2377

Despite being loosely associated with roadies, I am definitely against their elitist habits. Jerks in yellow Discovery Channel Kit and brand-new carbon Treks are very frustrating. The worst are those who are just attempting to be hardcore, like said Lance-wannabes.

Anyway, I would politely ask them to be considerate, and note the fact that a bike path is not a road, and that people teaching their children to ride bikes have just as much right to be on it as they do. Almost everyone on the path would politely move out of your way if they see you.

While the rant is going, I really can't stand people with 13 dogs on impossible long-leashes that totally obstruct the pathway. That is a downright inconsiderate move.

Cheers~

dirtyphotons

that trail attracts more *******s than just about any spot i can think of in the area. i avoid it whenever possible.

roadies (and fixers and mtbers) who ride too fast on multi-use paths suck, they need to ride on the street or slow the **** down. peds who act cluelessly and endanger the people around them suck, they need to realize they're not walking in their cul de sac.

as far as kids who feel discriminated against for riding a fixed gear (not saying you're one, everyone needs to vent now and then), i'm just glad that they've never experienced real discrimination. hope they never do.

congrats on your new job dude, if you have any regular drops at NAS or the foggy bottom area hit me up if you feel like a spin or a drink sometime. or come by the bike rack at 14th and q, i work sundays.

illegitimus non carborundum.

-downtown roadie

npoak

I just might love you.....

npoak

I'm a "Roadie with a $2000.00+ bike" as well as a fixed rider. Following your logic, said bike path, fully of kids and slow people, is still public property so why shouldn't I be riding on it as fast as I want? You should get out of my way? You know. It goes both ways.

Public bike paths/trails are just that, public. You get all kinds. I avoid them as I can and will take my chances out on the open road. Oddly I feel safer there than having to deal with some dolt and a 3 year old on a big wheel who has no idea what "two way public path means". At least on the open road you can protect your own. Bike path/trails have little respect I've found as when people get one them, regardless if they are riding/walking/rollerblading/running.... they seem to think the world revolves around them. They take up the entire path, swerve around, etc. In my mind it's like driving....stay right accept to pass. That would solve so many problems. So when I have no choice but to get on one of these paths on my $2000+ roadie or fixie I stay to the right and only go left to pass someone slow and/or in my way. Unless they are REALLY in the way I just ride past.

While I see your point and frustration (as a roadie I have problems with other roadies often, be it on my road bike or fixie or MTB) just because your life is on the bike doesn't justify you over the weekend warriors. Why aren't you out there on the road then since you are commuting home and work on the bike. Again it goes both ways. You are no better than them and vis-versa.

If you KNOW it's a problem and it's going to piss you off why not find another route? Roadies can be dicks but fixie riders can be just the same but their holier than though "I'm not wearing spandex" schtic wears thin quickly.

People generally suck in this world. But you are no better than them. Deal with it.

npoak

Yes, those guys do suck, but....fixie riders with their tight jeans, toe clips and mess bags (or whatever cliche you want to name for a fixie rider) are just as bad, maybe MORE elitist (I mean if you aren't on a lugged frame with a quill stem....OH MY!). Again, it goes both ways.

Oh ya....those people.....no excuse. Karma will get them.

dirtyphotons

there's a big ole pentagon shaped building in the way, and they're not too keen on you just riding through. ironically, that building is also public property.

sadly, there are pretty much no feasable on-road alternatives for that trip, that's why the path is so crowded.

npoak

Understood. I don't know metro DC well enough to know. Still, if you KNOW it's going to be a problem and you can't do anything about it, just get used to it then..... it's like crying over spilled milk.

queerpunk

whatever, man. i've heard this fixed elitism referenced on the internet WAY more than i've experienced it in real life.

when i showed up to my first alleycat i was all worried that people wouldn't like me or my bike. i got over it after a while, cause people are friendly and fun. i have a bunch of friends here in the bike scene - hell, parts of the scene come comfortably close to what i like to call a community - and maybe we laugh loud and do fun ****. and generally, we like to get other people involved. people who maybe are intimidated (with or without reason) like i was at first.

just because people talk about it on the internet, doesn't mean it's true, aight? come ride. come hang out.